This blog is dedicated to the use of drawing and other art forms as alternative and augmentative modes of communication for individuals on the autism spectrum. You can visit our website for more information (www.autismandtheartofcommunication.com). Also, check out our teaching videos on YouTube (AUTISMartCOMMUNICATE), and follow us on facebook (www.facebook.com/AUTISMartCOMMUNICATE).

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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

As promised, just in time for Christmas, some more interesting and entertaining pictures created by my students this year:

From Michael (whose favourite pop music radio station is "Hot 89.9") - here are the album covers he imagines for some of this year's hit songs:

From Emma (a lover of Disney movies & royal fashion) some pictures of princes and princesses drawn on the iPad app "Drawing with Carl":

Prince & Princess

Prince

Princess

Princess

More iPad drawing from Kevin and Adam, using the app Sketchbook Pro (which allows you to draw in layers & has many professional artist tools):

"Hobbes" by Adam

"Calvin" by Kevin

"Mr. Bean shoots Teddy out of a cannon" by Kevin

More scenes with Mr. Bean, Teddy, Kevin and his brother Raymond - drawn by Kevin in a "Scrambled Sentences" language comprehension activity:

And finally, some thoughts from Michael on "good vs bad behaviour":

(and I agree whole-heartedly with the rule he came up with!)

People on the autism spectrum can't always express themselves clearly through verbal language. Unconventional modes of communication, like drawing, can help the rest of us to see the true creativity, intelligence, humour and imagination that exist behind the unusual exterior.

Have a safe and happy holiday season .... wishing you a creative and interesting 2014!!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

It's December already! In the spirit of the gift-giving season, over the next couple of weeks, I'd like to share some of the cool things my students created this year:

We've been having a lot of fun using iPad animation apps to learn conventional language. Here's a film that Adam drew using FlipBoom Cartoon (sentence constructed in Word Mover app) - goals were sentence construction and comprehension:

And the next step is a story - "Mad Scientist & Mummy" is an original story by Adam, "written" through drawing in 2001 (when he was 11 years old). He revisits it in 2013 and turns it into an animated tale (once again using FlipBoom Cartoon):